Why Is Christ's Unique Offer Of Salvation Misunderstood By Nearly 90% Of Th

Why Is Christ’s Unique Offer of Salvation Misunderstood by Nearly 90% of the World’s Population? – John 14:6

Illustration: At a recent missions conference attended by thousands of evangelical students, only one third of the participants indicated their belief that "a person who does not hear the Gospel is eternally lost."

Timothy, George Tabletalk, 1992

Illustration: The unattended garden will soon be overrun with weeds; the heart that fails to cultivate truth and root out error will shortly be a theological wilderness.

A.W. Tozer.

1. We live in a world where people see truth as relative. But Jesus said, “I am THE way, THE truth and THE life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) People have a hard time accepting absolute truth from the scripture as inerrantly inspired by God. (2 Tim. 3:16,17; 2 Pet 1:21)

2. We live in a world that where postmodernism has gradually moved to replace modernism with its emphasis on human reason. Neopaganism has become the major contender with Christianity for the heart of western civilization and its characteristics include: a) Denial of the personal attributes of God and Christ b). Claiming the legitimacy to worship the created order (pantheism) c). Laying claim to a dogmatic tolerance d). Seeking to intensify the life of a person rather than transform it e). Seeking to re-establish the place of Eros in its celebration life f). Offering no definite, well grounded hope for the future g). Militant opposition to Christianity or anything that has absolute truth. Let us learn to reject religious pluralism, relativism and all other religions that teach that there are many ways to reach God and heaven. Christ is the only way, the only truth and the only life. No one comes to the Father except through Him. (John 14:6)

Illustration: According to a recent poll of American young adult men, 48% believe that most of the problems in the world today are a result of man himself. Only 41% indicated agreement that Jesus has provided the way to know God personally. Only 29% could correctly state how one becomes a Christian. But 67% were interested in knowing more about Christianity.

What’s Gone Wrong With The Harvest. James Engel and Wilbert Norton

3. People erroneously think that God would never send anyone to hell. They fail to realize that Jesus often spoke of hell. (Matt 25:41-46; Mark 9:47,48; Luke 16:19-31) and warned people so no one would have to go there unless they failed to act on the light of revelation God provided to them (By creation, by Christ, or by intuitive knowledge from Romans 1,2,3). Paul writes, “ The law written in their hearts is the knowledge of right and wrong. They will be judged according to their consciences. “They bear witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them.” (Rom. 2:11-16) I doubt many are willing to insist that Jesus did not know what He was talking about! God created hell originally for Satan and his angels who rebelled against Him. Hell is a place where people go as a result of their failure to place saving faith in Christ for the substitutionary payment for the forgiveness of their sins and the free gift of eternal life by His grace. (Eph. 2:8,9) If people reject God’s provision for the forgiveness of their sins then they will join the Devil who rejected God from the beginning. I doubt that is what they would want if they faced the facts.

Illustration: D.M. Stearns was preaching in Philadelphia. At the close of the service a stranger came up to him and said, "I don’t like the way you spoke about the cross. I think that instead of emphasizing the death of Christ, it would be far better to preach Jesus, the teacher and example." Stearns replied, "If I presented Christ in that way, would you be willing to follow Him?" "I certainly would," said the stranger without hesitation. "All right then," said the preacher, "let’s take the first step. He did no sin. Can you claim that for yourself?" The man looked confused and somewhat surprised. "Why, no," he said. "I acknowledge that I do sin." Stearns replied, "Then your greatest need is to have a Savior, not an example!"

4. Some people falsely view God and Jesus Christ as an unloving or someone who would never want to send anyone into an eternal hell. Is it right to think of God as would come down from heaven and become a human being, suffer at the hands of cruel men and allow himself to be crucified on a cross, to be thought of as unloving. That is the ultimate demonstration of love. Christ lovingly gave up his life so that billions would not have to pay the penalty for their own sins. If people reject the free gift offered to them for forgiveness and eternal life, what is God left to do? He would have to judge them for their sins, rejection and failure to receive the free pardon offered to them in Christ.